Belichick creates impression that he wants Lamar Jackson

Posted by Mike Florio on April 12, 2018, 6:35 AM EDT

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While the manner in which the top five quarterbacks will exit the board isn’t known, two things have become accepted in recent weeks. One, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson may be the last of the five taken. Two, he nevertheless will be taken in round one.

So who will take Jackson? The Cardinals at No. 15? The Ravens at No. 16? The Chargers at No. 17? The Saints at No. 27?

A sense has been emerging that the Patriots could be the team to land Jackson. Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report recently wrote that the Patriots have the most interest in Jackson.

Then there’s this: NFL Network posted a graphic on social medial of Jackson and Patriots coach Bill Belichick, with this quote from NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks: “I believe after watching Deshaun Watson tear up his defense, he said, ‘I want a player like Lamar Jackson.'” NFL Network’s Deion Sanders (who apparently realizes that Lamar Jackson is a player and not merely a fan) responded by saying, “About time they got the revelation.” Below that, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady chimed in with this response to Sanders: “He’s a beast!!!!”

While it may be a stretch at this point to believe that Brady and Belichick are totally in cahoots when it comes to manipulating the draft board, Belichick typically doesn’t tip his hand about his draft plans. And by “typically doesn’t,” I mean he never, ever, ever does.

Belichick, who learned football strategy at the knee of his father, a long-time member of the Naval Academy football program, realizes the tactical value of information and the lack thereof. Everything he says and does has a reason. And if he secretly covets Lamar Jackson, Belichick will be doing everything he can to keep that a secret.

So if it’s getting out that Belichick wants Jackson, it’s getting out because Belichick wants it to get out. And with each of his three chief competitors in the AFC East in position to take a top quarterback, it could be that Belichick is trying to unleash a Jedi mind trick on the Jets, Dolphins, or Bills, baiting them into taking Jackson — if Belichick has decided that Jackson ultimately won’t be nearly as good as Deshaun Watson.

Again, given some of the reported tension between Belichick and Brady, it’s hard to imagine that Brady is pumping up Jackson at the behest of Belichick. But the notion that Belichick likes Jackson most likely wouldn’t be trickling out of Foxborough unless Belichick wanted it to. Which invites speculation that he’s hoping that the Jets, Dolphins, and/or Bills take Jackson instead of someone like Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen, or Josh Allen.

Maybe I’m wrong. (It wouldn’t be this first time this week today.) Maybe Belichick is losing his cloak-and-dagger fastball. Regardless, when it comes to the Patriots’ plans for restocking the most important position in football via the draft — a matter of critical importance with the Brady Train pulling into the station — it’s hard to imagine Belichick allowing anyone to know what he truly thinks, and it’s easy to think that any reports or rumors as to what he thinks have made their way into the public eye for a reason.

Yes, everything the Hoodie does is pure genius and part of some master plan. He obviously didn’t play Butler in the SB so he could move up one spot in the draft to get a player he wants. That Bill, he thinks of everything.

No offense but with the exception of the Brady pick, I would hardly call BB a “Draft Master.” He uses disinformation just like everyone else does, and the pundits call it news up until the moment it ends up being different on draft day. He isn’t unique in this regard. Someone got Wentz, someone got Watson, someone got Watt, etc. And people trade up and down to get them all the time. I give him credit for how he manages his cap and roster, but he isn’t alone in draft machinations and trading up and down for their man.

Pure smokescreen from Belichick……..He likes Rudolph outside the top 4, you watch. Look out for a draft day trade-up with Oakland @#10 to get ahead of Miami, Buffalo and Arizona……

We all know that whoever Belichick takes, he’s gonna be more successful than anyone that The Jets, Miami or Buffalo takes with their multi draft pick trade-ups, because its the team you put around the QB, club culture and smarts that win championships……..

Jackson is not very intelligent, therefore by definition he’s unlikely to be a Belichick QB. This is likely a smokescreen. The QB that BB probably yearns for is Rosen and he just hopes he can fall enough to move up and draft him.

I do not understand where this ‘Belichick Creates Impression’ is coming from. As noted in the blurb, BB is not one to tip his hand. BB is photographed often this time of year speaking to, or coaching up, or watching the workouts of many different college players; I think this might be Belichick’s favorite time of the football year. No doubt he thinks some of them can contribute in the NFL, and some will fall short. But should anyone think he is dazzled by every college kid he is photographed with or near?

Teams don’t take one player instead of others because a different team is interested in the player. They take the guy they want. What teams ACTUALLY do, though, is trade ahead of an interested team if they are also interested in the player. Belichick might be trying to help get a player to fall to NE by getting someone else to reach for Jackson. He also might want to get the NEXT rated QB on consensus boards, Mason Rudolph, and so wants teams to think he wants one QB instead of the QB he’s actually hoping for. Those would be typical Belichick motivations.

ya Bill is such a genius that he traded a 2nd round pick for Kony Ealy, a guy who is a 4-3 end on a 3-4 defense then cuts him shortly after, also not playing Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl as also another genius move.

One can’t speculate what a NFL personnel decision maker is thinking before the draft. Belichick is not in a good enough position to get one of the top five Quarterbacks in a draft with so many ‘quarterback needy’ teams. The Miami Dolphins could choose Lamar Jackson, they are certainly going quarterback in the first round in my opinion. This draft is perfect for them to get a quarterback to develop. Moreover who the media thinks is a top five quarterback in this draft may not be in the top five in Bill’s opinion. Belichick’s opinion means a lot. He developed 3 NFL quarterbacks in Jimmy Garoppolo, Jacoby Brissett and Matt Cassel. All had good QB credentials to facilitate trades. Certainly one of Belichick’s skills is developing a quarterback. One can’t forget developing Tom Brady from a 7th round draft choice. That stated going with a Luke Falk or Mason Rudolph could work for Belichick and the Patriots to develop!

And watching Watson “tear up his defense” in an indictment on his defense, not what offense has succeeded throughout football. There’s a reason that the best quarterbacks in the NFL (Brady, Brees, Rodgers, etc.) play a certain drop-back way.

and how is this? there is no quote from Belichick, nor is there any evidence that Belichick shared any information with Brooks. What is left is, Bucky Brooks speculates on what Belichick is thinking, so Belichick is somehow spreading misinformation?

Was this a magic social media post? I mean, is Brooks the same guy that sold Jack his beanstalk beans?

Maybe Belichick realizes that everyone knows he never, ever tips his hand and that saying he wants a player means he doesn’t, but now he does really want Jackson and says he wants him because now everyone thinks he doesn’t want him, so everyone will pass on Jackson, thinking he won’ take him and then the Pats will take him. My brain hurts.

it’s a smokescreen-I’d bet my life. I’d be surprised if Jackson goes any earlier than late in the first round, it will be to a desperate team. Quarterbacks in the NFL should run to escape and not subject themselves to injury.

I fail to see where Belichek has created anything close to the impression he is gaga for Lamar Jackson. I do however see a false narrative being crafted by Bucky Brooks with zero evidence to support it.

Anyone else read through this article with the Princess Bride drink the poisen scene in their heads?
Bill is doing this, unless he’s not doing this, because he wants you to think that, unless of course he wants you to think he’s doing that, but is really doing this.
If Florio is doing these mental gymnastics, imagine the war rooms of the other teams on draft day!

Jackson was DEFINITELY not successful in the EP Offense. Petrino has specifically said he changed to more spread elements to take advantage of Jackson’s talent and Jackson was very good with some of the run-and-shoot “switch” verticals concepts. But watch him in the EP sets and two things stick out like a sore thumb – his reads were wrong and ball placement (ie anticipation) was off.

There’s a reason Petrino moved away from Erhardt-Perkins just for Jackson. While his natural talent will win lots of games at the college level, the NFL is a whole different beast as everyone is just as talented.

The Pats are checking into about 10 Different QB directly and there will be more. Why is this a story because Bucky Brooks tweeted out one of his pipe dreams. I’d like to think that the other NFL teams do their own recon work and don’t pay attention to what other teams think

“No offense but with the exception of the Brady pick, I would hardly call BB a “Draft Master.””
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And the Brady pick was a huge dose of luck. Yes, they saw something in him but not enough to GUARANTEE they’d get him. You don’t see a guy and say “he’s really special” and then wait until the 6th round giving every other team 5-6 shots at stealing him from you. I give them huge props for developing Brady–it’s pretty remarkable how he went from being a game manager his rookie year to superstar–but the pick itself was rather lucky, to say the least.

Belichick knows by now that people will think that he is trying to fool the NFL by showing interest in Jackson and that any interest will be discounted. Belichick will take Jackson at #23 (it’s a double-move my friends)

He very well may like Jackson. Belichick is doing a lot of things that he used to never do. He’s been very loose at the Super Bowl, he’s been praising players effusively, and talking openly about things. Perhaps he’s mellowed quite a bit. Or maybe he is just playing mind games. That’s for you all to figure out LOL!

Mason Rudolph of Oklahoma State would work for the Dolphins at number 11 in the first round. Who cares about the Patriots & King William, they have won enough. Luke Falk of Washington State would also work for the Dolphins in the 1st round without having to move up in the draft. Some may think that drafting Falk or Rudolph at number 11 is to early but consider Ryan Tannehill a wide receiver in college was drafted 8th overall in his draft. If a team scouts a player and believes he can be developed it’s not to early. Scouting a potential NFL quarterback is speculation on transferable skills from college. Brady was a 7th round pick and then there is RG III drafted by the Washington Redskins. Drafting for the NFL is an imperfect science! King William Belichick is a great NFL scientist.

As a Dolphin fan I would disappointed that we would panick into a pick because of a mind trick. Surely by now you have your players picked, first, second and third choice and just go for it especially we’re we are picking.

Lamar Jax = RGIII = Vince Young = Kordell Stewart = Tim Tebow = ….. Do you see a trend here? I hope the Pats take Jackson – the guy is too skinny & looks to run too much. He’s a smaller version of Cam Newton – who’s already had his bell rung too many times.